WATER FEATURES PREP, DRAIN & MAINTAIN
The Complete Guide for Fall and Winter Care for your Water Features! MARQUIS GARDENS
Your water feature has looked beautiful all summer long, and you want it to look the same way next year. We provide you with the steps starting in late fall, to prepare and maintain the beauty of your water feature for years to come!
FOUNTAINS
DESCRIPTION:
A fountain is most commonly made of concrete, plastic or stainless steel and is situated above ground with open, running water.
BEFORE FROST/FREEZE:
REMOVE YOUR PUMPS AND BRING INDOORS. For best results keep in a container of water to avoid seals from drying/cracking
There are some circumstances where the pump is too difficult to remove from the fountain - In this case we recommend to ensure all water is fully drained from the pump (pump is completely dry). Wrap the pump in a plastic bag and seal it off from moisture
DRAIN & MAINTAIN
REMOVE ALL WATER AND PROTECT YOUR FOUNTAIN USING A FOUNTAIN COVER. Campania Fountain Covers are a great choice for two reasons: the unique material allows no moisture in but allows all trapped moisture out. As well, they come in a muted taupe colour that sure beats a bright blue tarp!
The Fountain Covers come in a range of sizes and a handy drawstring to accommodate most fountains.
Avoid salting near your fountain as this will cause damage to the finish and could cause crumbling
POND
DESCRIPTION:
A pond is an in-ground body of water that is either lined or natural. A pond can have fish and plants.
PREP:
- Before the leaves begin to fall, place a net over your pond to prevent the leaves from breaking down creating debris
- Trim back lily leaves and marginal plants and remove all floating plants
- Move aeration discs to 2 feet from the water’s surface
BEFORE FROST/FREEZE:
- REMOVE PUMP(S): Just like with fountain pumps, keep in a container of water to avoid seals from drying/cracking
-
REMOVE FILTERS: Clean thoroughly and bring indoors where they will not freeze.
*Now is a great time to review your filter and pump manuals and to replace or clean up your seals, UV Bulbs, Quartz Tubes, Ionizer Probes and Filter pads/Filter media - FISH: If your pond does not have an area that is 3 1⁄2 - 4 feet deep in one spot (minimum), fish should be removed and brought indoors in a filtered tank.
MAINTAIN:
* No need to drain any water from your pond - better to have the pond full to maintain the integrity of the surrounding structure and to maintain the depth for fish and hardy lilies.
POND DEICER: Float a de-icer towards the middle of your pond to allow for a small opening in the ice for proper gas exchange through the winter months.
Keep an eye on the De-icer’s LED light in the winter to ensure that it is working *do not attempt to make a hole with blunt force as this is harmful to the fish and can be a dangerous task.
WATER FEATURE
DESCRIPTION:
A water Feature can be dug in-ground or above grade. Examples include: Bubble Rocks or Bollards - Water Walls or Weir Feature.
BEFORE FROST/FREEZE:
ABOVE GROUND RESERVOIR: Drain water from the reservoir and bring in pumps and store in a container of water. Reservoir basin can be covered to keep most of the moisture out, however, it does not have to be waterproofed completely – the main goal is to prevent the entire basin from filling entirely with water.
BELOW GRADE/GROUND LEVEL: Any reservoir below grade we recommend that you do not drain. Keeping the reservoir full of water will prevent it from caving in from the pressure of the surrounding soil or aggregate in the freezing months. Pumps should be taken out the same way as any water feature.
Keep in Mind! When water freezes it expands – this is why we don’t want it to remain in any above grade basins, bowls or reservoirs, as it could cause cracking or bowing.
